Bai Ling

Bai Ling Biography

Born in the southern city Cheng Du of China, Bai Ling began her career at the age of 14. She enlisted In the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army where she spent three years in a performance troop entertaining soldiers stationed in Tibet. Bai Ling first gained the attention of audiences and critics alike when she won the coveted lead role opposite Richard Gere in Jon Avnet s Red Corner (1997). She received numerous accolades including the prestigious Breakthrough Performance Award from the National Board of Review. She also garnered the Discovery Star awarded by the Hollywood Womens Press Club for their Golden Apple Awards. While developing her remarkable facility with the English language, Bai Ling has worked with prestigious filmmakers such as Oliver Stone in Nixon (1995), George Lucas in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005), Will Smith in Wild Wild West (1999), Spike Lee in She Hate Me (2004), Jodie Foster in Anna the King (1999), Ang Lee in Xi yan (1993), Alex Proyas in The Crow (1994), Angelina Jolie in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004), and Luc Besson s French movie Taxi 3 (2003), in which she spoke French. Also Bai starred in Terrence Malick s Broadway show Sansho the Bailiff. Bai Ling dazzled audiences with her portrayal of the sexy, mysterious Achara in the hit TV series "Lost" (2004), and intrigued audiences with her seductive exhilarating role in HBOs "Entourage" (2004). Bai Ling was awarded the Asian Oscar for her daring, brilliant performance in her first Hong Kong film Dumplings. Her performance also earned her an additional 3 major awards in the Far East. She received the Spirit Diversity Award by The Hollywood Motion Picture Association. Her film Southland Tales (2006), directed by Richard Kelly was in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. Bai just starred in and executive produced the movie Shanghai Baby. She has also recently completed 8 movies and most proudly worked with Taylor Hackford in Love Ranch (2010), co-starring with Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci, which just premiered in US. Bai also starred in a crazy role in worldwide release Lionsgate comedy action Crank: High Voltage (2009) with costar with Jason Statham. And just finished her first 3D film Back 2 Hell.

Bai Ling Trivia and Facts

One of People Magazines "50 Most Beautiful People in the World 1998"

Bai Ling served three years in the People Liberations Army in China entertaining troops in Tibet. She had a bout of depression which sent her to a mental hospital. She then became a Chinese movie star. All of this occurred before she was 18.

Had a four line appearance in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005). Unfortunately her appearance (along with a small cameo of George Lucas s daughter) got cut out (G. Lucas: "It wasnt like it was a major thing to begin with and I just cut that whole secondary story out of the movie quite a while ago").

Lives in Marina Del Rey

Name means white spirit in English

Member of jury at the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) in 2005; for her light dresses that didnt always cover her essentials all the time, German tabloids nicknamed her "die Berlinackte" ("the Berlinaked").

Claimed that her role on Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) was cut during editing because of her posing for the June 2005 issue of US "Playboy" magazine. She was the first woman from the Peoples Republic of China on its cover. George Lucas strongly denied that this was the reason she was cut.

She took classes at The Lee Strasberg Institute (1991) and New York University. (1991)

Cut off most of her waist-length hair for her role in Anna and the King (1999).

Was the July 2007 entry in Stuff magazines 2006-2007 pin up calendar.

She turned in one of the most acclaimed performances for her first Hong Kong movie Saam gaang yi (2004) ( "Three Extremes: Dumplings"). Her character is a creepy 60 year old ageless beauty, and she helps women by performing illegal abortions, but she also uses the unwanted fetuses to be made into dumplings which is her secret for ageless beauty.

Good friends with Kimberly Stewart.

Arrested for shoplifting at Los Angeles International Airport on February 13, 2008.

Perhaps her first public appearance in the U.S. was on Jan. 16, 1994 when she accepted the Best Supporting Actress Award on behalf of the winner, her countrywoman Li Gong , who could not attend, at the annual New York Film Critics Circle ceremony held at the Pegasus Room (Rockefeller Ctr.).